Apparatus for storing eggs.



0. DRE-HER.

APPARATUS FOR STORING'EGGS.

APPLICATION FILED .TYAN.21, 1913.

1,091,307. Patented Mar. 24, 191

I 6 .7, e1 I m 5662 6666 I fizz/62a 2'02 0 I z 7% m 6 AS20042 Wakef-DLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'H (ID-.WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

OSWALD DBIEHER, OF TAMIBACI-I, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR sronnve Eees.

Application filed. January 21, 1913. Serial No. 743,371.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OswALn DREHER, a subjectof the German Emperor, residing at Tambach, Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Grotha,Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in orRelating to Apparatus for Storing Eggs, of which the following is aspecification.

In storing eggs, it is necessary to see that the eggs are properlyventilated in order to avoid spoiling them. It is further of importancefor the preservation of the eggs that they should be kept fiat. Forbrooding eggs this is an absolutely essential condition, for the reasonthat if the eggs in question are stored in a vertical position, thetreadle, also called the chalaza, connecting together the yolk andwhite, would be destroyed, which would render the eggs unsuitable forbrooding purposes. Moreover, eggs that have to be stored for a longtime, must be turned from time to time, in order to preserve to the eggits uniform quality.

The device forming the subject of this invention fulfils theseconditions in a perfect manner, as it affords access of air to the eggsplaced fiat, from all sides. The turning of the eggs stored in the newdevice, is greatly simplified by the fact that it is not necessary toturn each egg separately, but a layer containing a large number of eggs,can be turned at once, or a whole stack containing any desired number oflayers of eggs, can be brought by tipping into a position correspondingto the turning of eggs to 180.

The new device which offers these advantages, consists of superposedtrays made of wooden frames provided with perforated bottoms held insuperposed position by means of ledges secured to their corners, at adistance corresponding to the thickness of the eggs, the shifting of thesingle trays relatively to each other being at the same time preventedby the projections and recesses provided at the corners. The inner spaceof these trays, which latter are secured together by suitable means suchas hooks, clamps or the like, is laterally limited by elastic wireswhich, during the turning of the filled trays, afiord to the eggs anelastic support and prevent in a reliable manner the eggs from beingbroken or cracked even when manipulating only partially filled trays, orwhen taming the same, even in case of careless manipulation.

Two constructions according to this invention are illustrated by way ofexample in the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 shows in plan a tray, Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly insection, showing two superposed trays of one construction, Fig. 3 isaview corresponding to Fig. 2, of a slightly modified construction ofthe tray, and Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a stack of trays.

The trays used for receiving the eggs, consist of a wooden frame awhich, in the construction shown in Fig. 2, is provided with a singleperforated bottom f. To the corners of the frame a are secured, aboveand below the frame, short ledges b b which hold the superposed framesat a proper distance apart. Moreover, on the underface of each frame, atthe corners, are secured depending blocks or other suitable projections0 for reception in recesses d formed in the upper face of the next lowerframe, at its corners, so that the frames of the same shape, afterhaving been superposed, are prevented from shifting relatively to eachother, To the ledges b b are secured elastic wires 6 c limiting theinner space of the trays. These wires form a lateral elastic support forthe eggs during the turning of the filled trays.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2, in which the frames at are providedwith only one perforated bottom, the latter is arranged outside thecenter of the height of the tray determined by the thickness of theledges b b and of the frame a, in such manner that the depth of theframe it situated above the perforated bottom f correspondsapproximately to half the thickness of an egg, while the height 9measured from the perforated bottom f to the bottom edge of the cornerledge b, is somewhat larger, so that in the case of superposed trays,the eggs arranged between the perforated bottoms f do not touch theupper perforated bottom; that is to say, the sagging of the perforatedbottom, produced by the weight of the eggs, does not exercise anyinfluence on the eggs below. These trays can be made up into a stack ofany desired height. 1f the eggs are to be turned, this is preferablydone in layers, the uppermost tray of the stack being turned and placedon the one below, so that in that case the distance of the perforatedbottoms f from each other, corresponds to the thickness of the eggs.

The two upper trays are then seized and turned to 180, so that in thatway the upermost tray lies at the bottom. It then forms the lowest trayfor the turned over stack, while the original second tray is used, asbefore, for turning the next layer of eggs, and then forms a second trayof the new stack. These trays with .only one perforated bottom can beused more particularly where not too great a quantity of eggs have to bestored, that is to say in ordinary households or small poultry breedingestablishments.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the trays are provided with twoperforated bottoms f f, the upper bottoms f being at the same point asthe perforated bottoms f of the trays shown in Fig. 2. The lowerperforated bottoms f in this case are at the same distance from thebottom edges of the ledges b, as the upper perforated bottoms f from theupper edges of the ledges b. The distance of the perforated bottom f ofthe lower of two superposed trays, from the perforated bottom f of thetray above it, corresponds in that way approximately to the thickness ofan egg, so that the eggs stored in a tray, have no play in the directionofheight. If a number of these trays are formed into a stack, and thetrays conneeted together by suitable means, the whole stack with itscontents can be brought direetly into an inverted position correspondingto the turning of the eggs contained in the stack, to the extent of 180.In this case also, air is admitted to the eggs from all sides, and theelastic wires 6 6 form also in this case a lateral elastic support forthe layer of eggs in question, during the turning of the stack. Thisconstruction of the frames or trays is more particularly suitable forlarge poultry breeding establishments or for keeping eggs 1n coldstorage, that is to say where it is desired to store large quantities ofeggs for a long time.

In order to facilitate the tipping or turning of such a stack, each ofthe said stacks can be provided if desired with detachable lateralbrackets 71 (Fig. 4) which, during the turning of the whole stack, formthe rolling surface. Moreover, at the ends of the said brackets 1;spring blades 2" or the like may be provided to facilitate the turningof a stack to be reversed, and to reduce the shock during the setting ofthe stack on the frame surface which was originally at the top, if theturning is done carelessly.

It must be pointed out that the new storing device further has theadvantage in poultry breeding establishments that brooding eggs comingfrom various kinds of hens can be kept separate from each other, so thatany confusion is avoided in a reliable manner. Moreover, the new devicemakes it also possible to control in a convenient manner each layer ofeggs, as it is merely necessary for the purpose to remove the traysabove the layer in question or in some cases simply to tip it to theside, whereupon access will be obtained to the layer of eggs inquestion.

The new device is also eminently adapted for storing fruits, of variouskinds, and the like, which also must be stored properly aerated andfrequently inspected, in order to remove any fruit beginning to rot.This necessary supervision is greatly facilitated by the possibility ofturning the fruit in layers.

hat I claim is:

1. Apparatus for storing eggs comprising a plurality of superposedtrays, each consisting of a skeleton frame having a perforatedsupporting bottom and provided upon its opposite faces, adjacent thecorners, with ledges, the ledges on the under face of each frame restingdirectly upon those on the upper face of the next lower frame to spacethe trays apart, one face of each frame being provided at its cornerswith vertical projections and the other face with recesses forcooperation, respectively, with the recesses and projections of theadjacent faces of the frames next above and below to pre vent relativelateral movement of the trays.

2. Apparatus for storing eggs comprising a plurality of superposed,reversible trays, each consisting of a skeleton frame having aperforated supporting bottom and provided upon its opposite faces,adjacent the corners, with ledges, the ledges on the under face of eachframe resting directly upon those on the upper face of the next lowerframe to space the trays apart, one face of each frame being provided atits corners with vertical projections and the other face with recessesfor cooperation, respectively, with the recesses and projections of theadjacent faces of the frames next above and below to prevent relativelateral movement of the trays, and wires connecting the ledges of eachtray to form a yielding lateral support for the stored articles duringreversal of the trays.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

OSVVALD DREHER. W'itnesses Emvs'r EBERHARDT, ALFRED HOFFMANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

